Technical Director

Technical Director (Hands-On Engineering Lead) - Award-Winning Creative Agency£90,000-£100,000 + BenefitsCentral London (3 days per week - T/W/T)We're partnering with an award-winning creative and digital agency that delivers high-profile digital experiences for globally recognised brands.They're looking for a Technical Director who still enjoys being close to technology. This isn't a role for someone who has stepped away from engineering. Instead, you'll act as the senior technical authority across multiple client engagements, helping shape architecture, guide engineering teams, influence stakeholders and drive innovation across web, product and emerging AI initiatives.You'll work alongside strategy, design, UX and delivery teams, translating complex technical challenges into pragmatic solutions whilst maintaining credibility with engineers, clients and senior stakeholders alike.What You'll Be DoingLeading technical discovery, architecture and solution design across client programmesProviding technical leadership to multidisciplinary engineering teamsReviewing solutions, guiding implementation and supporting engineering best practicesWorking closely with clients to discuss technical approaches, risks and recommendationsDriving modern engineering practices across cloud infrastructure, CI/CD and quality assuranceSupporting teams delivering high-traffic websites, digital platforms, apps and emerging AI solutionsMentoring developers and helping shape technical capability across the businessContributing to innovation, prototyping and exploration of new technologiesWe're Looking ForExperience operating as a Technical Lead, Technical Director, Principal Engineer, Lead Engineer or similar senior technical leadership positionStrong software engineering background with experience in one or more modern backend technologies such as C#, .NET, Node.js, Java, Python or similar.Experience designing scalable digital products, platforms and APIsStrong understanding of cloud-native architecture, Azure and modern DevOps practicesPrevious experience within a digital agency, Creative agency, or Advertising/Marketing serviceAbility to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholdersExperience leading engineers, mentoring teams and influencing technical directionParticularly InterestingExperience with AI, GenAI, automation or emerging technology initiativesExposure to rapid prototyping, proof-of-concepts and innovation programmesKnowledge of Azure AI Services, OpenAI or modern AI toolingExperience working across multiple concurrent client projectsInterest in improving engineering standards, delivery practices and team capabilityThis role would suit someone who started their career as a software engineer, has grown into technical leadership, and still enjoys solving complex technical problems while helping teams and clients succeed.